1. Field
The present application relates generally to the operation of data networks, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for conveying a delivery schedule to mobile terminals.
2. Background
Data networks, such as wireless communication networks, have to trade off between services customized for a single terminal and services provided to a large number of terminals. For example, the distribution of content to a large number of mobile terminals (subscribers) is a complicated problem. This is especially true for mobile terminals that communicate using relatively slow speed over-the-air communication links. Therefore, it is very important for content providers to have a way to deliver content to a variety of mobile terminals in a way that conserves device power and network resources.
In conventional wired content delivery/media distribution systems, the scheduled broadcast time of real-time or streaming services is known or set. The broadcast time is set to be the time at which the content is advertised to the user as available for viewing. However, in a clip-casting service, a content clip can be delivered to a device at any time as long as it is delivered before the advertised viewing time. The viewing time is defined as the time at which the content clip is advertised to the user as being available for viewing. Once a user has subscribed to a clip-casting service, the delivery of the content clips is performed transparently in the background without requiring any user interaction. The content clips are stored at the device and are made available for viewing at specified times.
Unfortunately, conventional systems have several disadvantages when trying to deliver content clips to mobile devices. As in traditional IP multicast or other broadcast models, a mobile device can open one or more IP multicast sockets and listen for clips to arrive on the IP multicast sockets. However, this means that a mobile device needs to stay awake all the time to see if there is content arriving (being delivered) for the clip-casting service. Unfortunately, this conventional multicast content reception model does not work well in a mobile environment because mobile devices have limited battery life. Thus, requiring mobile devices to stay awake to listen for content to be received on the multicast sockets would consume significant battery power and reduce mobile standby times.
Therefore, what is needed is a way to deliver content clips to mobile devices that allows the content clips to be efficiently received while conserving device battery power and thereby minimizing the impact on standby times.